


Seven Seas Tribunal

by strifechaos



Series: Tales of Scales [2]
Category: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
Genre: AU: Mermaid, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Mermaids, Courting Rituals, M/M, Oblivious Deckard, Owen and Hattie are twins, Pre-Relationship, Size Kink, WIP, giant Luke, smol Deckard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:14:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29097858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strifechaos/pseuds/strifechaos
Summary: Deckard is just trying to get his Bill passed at the tribunal board meeting. If only that Samoan alpha would stop interrupting his presentation.-0-Luke hadn’t known what to expect when Jonah had sent him to fill for the tribe at the tribunal but a pretty little omega he can’t ignore wasn’t it.
Relationships: Luke Hobbs/Deckard Shaw
Series: Tales of Scales [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2109690
Comments: 9
Kudos: 24





	Seven Seas Tribunal

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Omnivorous_Reader](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omnivorous_Reader/gifts).



> Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine, I'm just having some fun.
> 
> This story is a complete standalone from the other fic in this "series". The series is more of a catchall for the various fics I've created (and am writing) for our little fandom for a friend. That said, hope you all enjoy it.

-0-

Magdalene carefully considered which of her children would best be able to present their Bill to the Seven Seas Tribunal.

The board was made up of mer creatures that represented different territories in the district. Whoever she selected to give the presentation would have to sway at least three other territories to their side, since her eldest, Deckard sat on the board. She wasn’t sure if it would be better for their chances if he gave the speech himself or if one of his siblings joined him.

Ramsey, a young lionfish mer had created a filter that had impressive results with cleaning the oceans’ waters in a relatively short time. It could revolutionize their cleanup efforts but first their Bill for installing it had to pass the SST board.

Plus once the Bill was ratified they’d be able rake in the clams!

Magdalene weighed the benefit of Hattie’s alpha advantage in presenting their Bill against that of the stereotypical alpha temper she also possessed. The golden mer had the fuse of a moray eel, always swift to snap at any perceived attack, so even though her only girl was as stubborn and resolute as a humpback, as a diplomat Magdalene couldn't help that she'd be rubbish.

Magdalene briefly toyed with sending her youngest and favorite spawn, Owen, Hattie’s twin. He showed great promise and skill at convincing others to work with him, a testament to his secondary gender, and in Magdalene’s opinion a proper level of arctic calculation when it came to enacting a plot and overcoming personnel losses. The cavern on the sea floor was that he suffered under the same double standard as his brother, as both mers were omegas.

Still, his ability to manipulate and natural talent for leadership made him an ideal candidate. The breaking point she couldn’t work around was sending him solo; the social perception of such a young omega being sent unescorted would be considered a desperate ploy by the Shaw tribe for forcing a match with another board member.

While Deckard had been out in society for years, and thus able to travel unescorted, Owen would require a party to travel to the Tribunal, and she didn’t have the bodies to spare, not with their focus on securing production for Ramsey’s latest invention.

That Deckard taken over the Shaw seat on the Seven Seas Tribunal board five years ago automatically lent him more pull with the other reps than either of his siblings if he gave the presentation; and while he would need to contend with the societal rules for omegas to make their case for their Bill, Magdalene knew that Deckard wouldn’t have the same trouble as his sister to keep a cool temper, or rely on an overly intricate plan like his brother. The twins were devious but their shortcomings would cause more trouble than they could handle if they wanted to get the Bill ratified this cycle.

Her eldest was quick on his fins and shouldn’t have an issue resolving any problems that popped up. That his soft spot for Ramsey meant he’d already been spearheading the Bill meant he’d be properly motivated as well, she wouldn't have to pull the strings on either of the twins to get them to sell the Bill. She knew his last heat had been recent enough that only a truly astoundingly compatible mate would kick off another so soon, and Hattie’s ruts had a more unpredictable nature to them, so he was the safer of the two to send.

Decision made, Magdalene is intent on wasting no time in summoning her children to her office to announce it.

-0-0-

Magdalene sank back against her seat, gesturing for Deckard to speak as they started to debate the pros and cons of who would show up for this cycle’s Tribunal. Though typically the seats didn’t change hands that frequently; a tribe had to submit notice to Nobody, the Tribunal’s most senior member, of a change in representative or that family lost their seat to another tribe within their Sea’s territory, it still was possible for a surprise.

The Shaws had held their seat for several generations, with Deckard succeeding Magdalene only in the last half decade.

She watched as Deckard perched on the chair across from her desk with the elegant posture of a first son’s education. His schooling to prepare him as an omega in Society had been grueling but the remnants remained , though he had yet to make a match yet. Her hopes had been dashed when the Lore tribe had recalled Brixton to their waters, something about an appointment with the Eteon territory that required he have no bond mate. Her poor Deck had been rather pathetic for a few more moons than she’d have liked over that whole mess, and Magdalene had found herself STILL without any grandchildren.

“M will side with us, they’ve been willing to vote with the Celtic Sea before, this will be no different for them,” Deckard said, his hand flicking to the side in a dismissive gesture. As if the siren opposing them and the Shaw’s Bill would be an impossible outcome, thus the subject was closed.

Magdalene considered her eldest’s comment and demeanor , claws tapping against her chin slowly. Deckard never made unsubstantiated allegations, if he felt the sirens would side with them he had good reason.

“Yes, they have shown great loyalty in the past,” she allowed. “All the same, make sure to have Darwin send some of those kelp ropes her tribe normally trade for as an incentive, no need to be cheap about it. We want this Bill to pass this cycle, not in ten years.”

-0–

Deckard could see the sense in offering M a bribe, or to put it more delicately, a “gift to cerebrate the friendship between the two tribes”. His mother wasn’t kidding when she said they weren’t being cheap about it though, the ropes were made from a kelp fiber native to London waters that had shown marked resilience to fraying under duress and use. The tribe sirens in the Caribbean Sea that Margarita belonged to were always particularly interested in trade when those were available, they’d appreciate the gesture and see it as a renewal of the alliance between their territories and M was smart enough to see the gift as incentive to continue the relationship.

That still left them with two more representatives to win over though.

As if finally realizing they weren’t to be dismissed from the planning, even if they weren’t being sent to give the presentation, Hattie and Owen stopped their silent twin conversation and swam over to lounge against their mother’s desk, seeing as she only had the two chairs.

“You know that Simanov will vote for whatever mum wants, he always does,” Owen pointed out with smug confidence, turning to send her a smirk from over his shoulder.

Magdalene showed no outward response of how she felt about his cheeky opinion but nodded her agreement. “Oh is right, Ivan will vote in our favor, he’s not daft – this is a good thing for all of us. That ocoto-mer will realize that and give our Bill his approval.”

A blat of a bubble expanded from Hattie’s nose as she snorts ungraciously, glancing up with a scathing sneer from her claws to send her mum an expression of disgusted disbelief. “That old octopus thinks stars shine out of your bum, if you told him that the tides had stopped and you wanted them started up again he’d try to capture the moon for you.”

“Manners, Hats, it’s rude to discuss such things in mixed company.” Deckard noted their mum seemed pretty pleased with his sister’s comment though.

Deckard and Owen shared a long suffering glance, ‘alphas’, rolling their eyes at the cavalier attempt to shelter them from alphas’ talk.

Deckard sardonically pointed out, “Yeah, I think that boat’s long sailed, mum.”

“Back on topic,” Owen intervenes , quickly “and away from mum’s sex life!” He shuddered over dramatically. “Even if we have the Baltic and Caribbean mers on our side, that still leaves four other representatives. Our vote and the other two won’t make for a majority.”

“How likely do you think it is that that Samoan alpha will vote for us?” Hattie asks, tucking a strand of blonde hair over an elongated ear, sending a calculating glance at her big brother from where she’s perched on their mother’s desk.

Deckard shrugs his shoulders, trying to project nonchalance but the way his fins flicker in agitation give away his uncertainty. “Jonah will go with what he believes is best for his tribe, for his family, so there’s no telling. Ramsey’s filter is legitimate but his territory is not big on change and his mother is the ruling head.”

Owen lazily flicked his tail to propel himself from one side of the room to the other, gunmetal colored fins flaring out and trailing sinuously behind him as he paced. “Why not just woo him with some omega charm, Deck? Win him over to our side the old fashion way?”

Deckard can feel how his gills flush with blood at his brother’s catfishy suggestion. Before last year he’d been all but promised to Brix, but since the other mer had been recalled from their territory his family had treated him a bit like a fragile seashell. For Owen to propose that he somehow seduce an alpha for their vote was so shocking Deckard felt tongue tied and overheated.

Before he can reclaim his calm, Hattie adds her two shells, never one to stop from joining in her twin’s shenanigans.

“I’m sure it wouldn’t be untoward if you approached it correctly, that short fuse you’ve mentioned he has could lead to some fun times, Deck. I’ve never had any complaints about how I focus mine in the kelp bed.”

Deckard winced, he’d never wanted that much information about his baby sister’s carnal activities.

Deckard finally found his gumption to halt their fun, “No. Not happening. Also, the less I know about your ‘kelp bed’ activities, they better, Hats!”

He turned toward his mother to share a ‘can you believe these two?’ look with her but to rising horror she seemed to be considering the suggestion seriously.

Deckard placed his hands flat on the desk and pushed up from it with more strength than grace, desperate to put a stop to this swim-away tuna of an idea.  
“He’s never shown a hint of interest in me in all the time I’ve attended the Tribunal meetings, mum. Besides, last we spoke his mother would slap him upside the head if he let his knot do the thinking for him after the trouble she got into with her own mate.”

Magdalene frowned at the reminder. Rumors back in the day circulated that Sefina paired up with quite the bad boy back then , some Great White mer if my memory serves. Bit of a lapse in courting, if the chitchat of the time were true, flash bastard didn’t stand by their spawns, only showed up once they’d matured. Bit of a sticky past that, word is that since then she’s always been a stickler for proper traditional courting for her sons.  
She let out a gusty sigh, a string of bubbles leaving her mouth. “You’re right, you might get him to roll in the sand with you but there’s no guarantee that he’d be inclined to have his head turned for our politics.”

A deep flush filled Deckard’s cheeks, throat and chest at his mother’s ruthless, blatant discussion of using him as a honey pot for their Bill.

Her almost immediate dismissal had him relaxing so fast that he felt the spines along his back settle. Quick to move them onto another course of action before the twins pricked at the idea to torture him he sent them heavy glares and stern glares.

“So no flirting into Jonah’s good graces to win his vote,” Hattie complained, slumping forward and resting her chin on her palm. Her other hand tapped at the desk, trying to figure out a new angle to come at the problem.

“If Deckard won’t sleep with Jonah then who else can we sway for our Bill?”

“Nobody is hard to predict but . . .”

They continued late into the night, finessing who would be best to approach and what their options were before the Tribunal met in a few days.

-0-0-

When his mother had instructed him to take over for Jonah by attending the lunar SST meeting, Luke hadn’t known what to expect.

Jonah had been a member of the boars since he’d come of age, but despite how Luke’s older brother bitched about how uptight all the other mers were and how it was a waste of his talent to send him to sit around and blow bubbles with crabby shell pushers, he also never missed a meeting no matter what else was going on back home.

Jonah’s recent appointment to Tribe Leader when their mother’s health had required her to relinquish some of her duties, had left the rest of the Hobbs scrambling to find someone appropriate to fill his position within the Tribunal Meetings. They were unable to spare their newly instated leader, and as a last ditch effort to keep from forfeiting their seat on the board, notice was sent to Nobody that Luke was a temporary fill until traditions could be followed to select the permanent rep.

From the little he could recall from Jonah’s brief, the local SST board was made up of seven tribe’s merfolk representatives. The most senior mer on each board went to additional boards, but thankfully for him that was an octopus named Nobody who outranked Jonah by a few decades, so this was the only meeting Luke should have to show up for as a fill-in. The other five representatives were merely seat holders from a tribe in each Sea’s territory. It was a way to diplomatically discuss law and order among the waters or the neighboring territories and regulate what activities were going on.

Luke could only count his lucky starfish that he wouldn’t have to attend any more of these Tribunals, as he hadn’t even made it halfway through this one and already managed to make an enemy.

-0-

Deckard’s fierce glare at the Samoan’s representative was starting to make his second eyelid sore and even his spine ridges were tingling with agitation, not used to being forced to remain rigid for so long.

The British mer couldn’t pin down what aspect exactly it was about the other mer that pissed him off the most, since there were a multitude of sins to choose from.

This new mer had – despite arriving late--- swanned into the Seven Seas Tribunal meeting, all rippling muscles covered only in squid ink tattoos and offered the board an overdone apology for being late. Plus he took up too much space around the driftwood table the other mers were sitting at and constantly spoke without the SST conch in hand.

Once he’d been welcomed to the tribunal by an, in Deckard’s opinion, overly enthusiastic Nobody, the alpha bastard had shot a sharkish smile at Deckard.

Deckard felt a flush of annoyance not attraction fill his gills and cheeks, because he was markedly not impressed by the massive alpha or his intricate ink work. That would be ridiculous. Besides what sort of arse showed up late to a Tribunal meeting? And where was Jonah?

Deckard focused on M’s review, just as she was covering the Tribunal board’s rules for the meeting and the presentation topic they were to cover this cycle.

-0-

Luke licked his lips. Jonah had mentioned the Celtic Sea rep was a Shaw and an omega but had never mentioned just how attractive the mer was, Luke is certain he would have remembered.

The blue scales of the northern mer’s tail and fins were healthy and vibrant, for all that the small mer would fit neatly in Luke’s arms, their tails twinned together. The flare of spines along his back were unique to omegas, and if Luke’s cousins were to be believed, quite the erogenous zone. Luke would be lying if he denied wanting to test his cousins’ theory out.

The omega shot him a squinted sneer.

“What in the seven seas are you staring at, you great stonefish?” He hissed lowly, between clenched fangs, clearly trying to avoid a scene.

“Nothing, just admiring the view,” Luke admitted boldly.

The pretty little blush filled the omega’s gills again, and Luke knew he was fucked.

“Piss. Off.”

-0-

That would have been the end of it in Deckard’s mind, if the loudmouth beluga hadn’t kicked off Deckard’s presentation by interrupting it, and then constantly asking for clarification as he continued.

This sandworm was single finnedly wrecking Deckard’s chance to deliver his proposal for Ramsey’s invention before the other board members. The late comer kept earnestly interrupting Deckard’s well prepared speech, almost every other sentence and Nobody did nothing to stop it.

Instead of weaving a song of support, the constant tangents had disjointed Deckard’s presentation to the point that no one could follow what he needed support for anymore.

After the fifth question Deckard’s fangs had pierced his tongue in agitation, blood flooded his mouth that he had no choice but to swallow unless he wanted the rest of the representatives to know just how much the Samoan was getting to him.

“If the board will take a moment to consider the oceans-wide implications of installing these devices, within weeks the trials showed marked improvements of water quality that’ll be self-evident once we have them in place.”

“Yeah but what are we supposed to do with all the trash?”

Deckard hissed, spines rattling as his patience snapped at the latest interruption.

Picking up on the tension, finally, Nobody hammered at the driftwood table with a tentacle.

“Gentle merfolk, let’s take a recess for half an hour to consider the Britain representative’s proposal thus far.”

As the other merfolk swam off to stretch their fins, Nobody gave a pointed look to Deckard.

“Rein it in, Shaw.”

Annoyed to be singled out when it had been Nobody’s pet that had caused the issues, Deckard offered only a slight jerky nod. As soon as Nobody’s back was turned he blew a stream of bubbles in frustration, of course the alpha mers would stick together he sneered internally.

‘Wouldn’t want a silly breeder to get defensive over an alpha shredding their carefully plotted designs!’ Deckard’s tailfins flushed with color declaring his annoyance for all to see, despite his best efforts to remain calm.

Deckard left the board room, trying to cool his temper and remember he was here for his tribe. Not some lunk headed alpha. No matter how big his hands were or long his tail. Triton, what did those Samoans eat? Jonah hadn’t been nearly as massive.

Deckard shook his head and reviewed what strategies he could use for the remaining time set aside for the presentation. His sister would have cut that bastard into sharkbait for interrupting her and the Tribunal would have considered it an acceptable response but Deckard had to grit his fangs and shred his palms with his claws to keep from sinking them both into the Samoan because the same response from him as an omega would have been classified as overreacting and emotional.

This was hardly the first time double standards of secondary genders grated against Deckard, though typically he had a better handle on it back home where his reputation was well known for not dealing with shallow breathers who took umbrage with his secondary gender.

Not only did he have to bring a spear-proof proposal to the Tribunal but his behavior had above reproach by those on the board. If the same standard was for all it wouldn’t have been an issue but even the alpha swimming in late had been overlooked when an omega Arctic rep had been a few seconds beyond the start time the previous year she’d been banned from joining the Lunar Tribunal meeting that cycle.

Nobody’s coaching about his attitude was grit in Deckard’s gills.

Taking a deep breath to center himself then Deckard swam father to find a cooler current, fins flickering in agitation and creating a swirl of bubbles and a small line in the sand along the ocean floor, eager to put some physical distance between his failed presentation and himself. Why was the water so hot here?

-0-

Luke felt like he’d been a wrong-finned through the entire process. First he’d been turned around by the freezing currents of the meeting place and subsequently late after drifting off in the wrong direction for several kilometers.

So despite his brother’s dire warnings against such a mistake he’d been late.

Thankfully, Nobody had been there and more than willing to excuse his faux pas.

Luke had been thrilled to be seated next to the tiny British mer, only his questions about the topic of presentation only seemed to make the cute little omega leading it more and more enraged and flustered.

Even during the first break, Luke had looked at his notes and been puzzled.

The Celtic Sea representative from London had been giving a proposal for some sort of water filter, but Luke had no idea how the installation of something like that would work ocean-wide. Jonah sure as seahorse shit hadn’t mentioned anything like it in the short brief he’d given his brother—and every clarification he asked for was met with bridled indignation from the presenter.

Even now, the fiery mer’s dorsal spines practically vibrated in rage as Luke peppered him with more questions; his forefins erect and dagger sharp with annoyance, fangs in equally prickly display and it had only spurred Luke on, how was he meant to resist such a display?

Back home no omega ever put on half as arousing a display, and this mer wasn’t even trying to garner Luke’s affections.

He continued to poke at the little puffer fish despite Nobody shooting him disapproving looks every few minutes. Just when Luke was sure the omega would pounce, Nobody called a halt to the proceedings for another recess.

“Let’s take ten, get some different currents over our gills and reconvene folks!” He shot over to Luke before he could get up from the table.

“Am I going to have to dismiss you from the Tribunal, Luke?”

He felt sucker punched. “What? Why? What are you talking about?”

Nobody gave him a challenging look, brow furrowed before his eyebrows perked up and he just shook his head, accepting that Luke honestly had no clue what he was referencing.

“Luke, buddy, I love the enthusiasm for taking part in the presentation, but maybe cool it. Give the mer a chance to cover his talking points before you jump in with something you don’t understand. Otherwise all the other topics will be shoved to next cycle.” Nobody leaned in, his tentacle gripping harder at Luke’s shoulder. “And Shaw night straight up murder you, and I’d hate to have to explain to Magdalene Shaw why I let her eldest murderer a fellow board member.”

Flabbergasted, Luke just bobbed his head up and down.

“Great! Now, got out there and maybe apologize to Shaw before the meeting starts up again, like a good alpha?”

The octopus left him sitting at the small driftwood table – how were seven mers meant to fit around such a small table? — completely stunned. He swallowed roughly and then swam out of the hall, taking a moment to take in a long last glance at the gorgeous blue scaled mer, before he followed where the rest of the panel had already headed out toward the open currents.

Despite the distance though, his thoughts cycled back to the British omega. Most of the omegas he came across back home were either relatives, spoken for or too soft spoken to stand up against Luke-- they definitely wouldn’t have been able to defend a proposal before an entire board to help the environment against an alpha, let alone an alpha of Luke’s size.

Luke had to talk to him, make a better impression somehow. See how open he was to a long distance courting. Best to start with an apology and move on from there.

-0-

When the Samoan representative approached him during the recess, under the cover of an insincere apology for ruining his presentation -- as if that would sweep away the hours Deckard and his family had spent researching, not to mention the favors the Shaws had called in and given out, to score the chance of getting their Bill passed-- was something a simple apology could equal--well Deckard’s temper was done.

He was through playing the demure omega for the board, but especially having to bite back his retorts for this knotted arsehole.

If it hadn’t been for the massive whale-sized obstacles the tribe had already had to overcome to get the proposal before the Tribunal board, Deckard would like to think he would have been in a more lighthearted mood.

After all, this was supposed to be where all the pieces clicked together, they were just meant to be reeling the fish in not still baiting the hook.

And instead of victory, the Bill was very unlikely to pass and would be shelved for another several cycles until they could amass enough pull to have it placed before the Tribunal again.

It could take years.

So no, Deckard was in no mood for a soggy apology from an immature alpha.

“Stay away from me you giant flounder!” Deckard growled, in no mood to be around the foreign tattooed mer or anyone else for that matter, no matter how attractive they were.

-0-

Despite his ability to get along with just about anyone, Luke had found himself spending the majority of the meeting attempting to see if he could get the Celtic rep to erupt like a gorgeous volcano. Even if it meant figuratively pulling at Shaw’s tailfins like a young alpha courting his first mate.

The omega had refused his half-hearted apology during the break, and while his mother had always taught him to respect an omega’s wishes, he couldn’t leave this one alone. He continued to pepper the presentation with questions despite Nobody’s advice and to be honest the results stole Luke’s breath.

The smaller mer’s pale skin turned almost ruddy with rage, his scales deepening to a dangerous prussian blue hue and the fins on his forearms had looked sharp enough to slice through a whale’s belly. It was the most delicious sight Luke had ever seen.

Before he could further provoke the Celtic rep, Nobody had sent everyone on break, for a third time.

Shaw sent a hateful glare at Luke, that if he were a lesser mer would have made him crawl across a field of glass coral on his belly to escape.

Instead, Luke looked him up and down, leered and gave him a nod and wink.

The volcano started to erupt.

“OK, folks! Let’s take an extra fifteen!” Nobody called out, waving the rest of the mers out of the meeting hall. He turned back and gave them both stern looks. “Settle this gentlemen, or I will.”

As soon as the other representatives cleared the area, the smaller mer barreled straight toward Luke like a torpedo.

“Just what in Triton’s treasure trove do you think you’re doing, you empty conch?!”

Knowing better and still unable to stop himself, the alpha puffed up and displayed. There hadn’t been a chance where he had Shaw’s direct attention before for long enough to do anything but have his apology rejected so he used this chance to better display his tattoos.

“Can’t handle the heat, sweetheart?”

The omega hissed, baring his fangs at Luke in an obvious threat, somehow not won over by Luke’s display. That was ok he had plenty of moves in store for the little puffer fish.

“I can handle anything you can shovel, you bloody piranha but if you don’t stop interrupting me it’ll be the last thing you do, you shallow sand fucker.”

Dragged into an unexpected riptide of rage, Luke darted forward so that he was mere inches between them, using his bulk to tower over the small omega. Instead of flinching back and apologizing for the grave insult he just thrown, Shaw held perfectly still and continued to cut a fierce glare at Luke, the spines along his back flushed a dark navy and rattling in challenge.

If Luke weren’t so upset by the insult to his pride, he would be impressed, mers that were twice the British omega’s size gibbered in fear when Luke showed an ounce of annoyance in their direction, but Luke was right up in the omega’s face and instead of cowering, Shaw was defiantly sneering right back at Luke, clenching his claws and coiling the muscles in his tail as if to jet forward into a brawl with the alpha at the slightest provocation.

Luke blamed the cold waters of the north for the way that his gills seemed to struggle with processing oxygen from the water, it wasn’t the fact that the behaviors the omega was so authentically displaying were the hottest thing he’d seen outside of a rut dream, and the omega wasn’t even trying to attract a mate.

Luke felt like his brain couldn’t quite process how someone could be so attractive without even trying. It made him want the other mer even more somehow.

Taking a moment to regain his composure, Luke slowly drew in a current of icy water, ignoring how as a tropical mer he still wasn’t used to the chill of the region’s currents, before releasing it in an equally as slow stream of bubbles before he dared respond to the other board member.

“Listen Princess, I know you thought you could wow the board from ignoring the holes in your plan that even a humpback pod could swim through because you’re an omega but if you can’t handle a couple questions from me, how do you think you’re going to respond when people actively look to shoot you down?”

The mer’s dorsal spines rattled even faster and his forefins became a deep royal blue color, complimenting his pale torso but indicating a deep rage response in the Brit.

Belatedly, Luke realized he might have just stuck his tail in his mouth.

The omega shot forward like a Great White, darting in to punch Luke right in the jaw. His head jerked back, and through the pain he felt the omega draw his arm back so that his fore fins slashed across Luke’s chest, gouging deeply and causing the water to erupt in a bright red cloud.

“Yeowch! Neptune’s left tit you’re feisty, calm down!” He reached out and grabbed the omega’s arms, easily encircling the smaller mer’s wrists with one hand, hoping to keep him from another attack.

Immediately the other mer tried to yank his wrists from Luke’s hold but the alpha wasn’t about to give away his advantage so easily. The pain spiked with the flex of his chest muscles from where the Brit had sliced him but he held steady as the smaller mer pulled and yanked against Luke’s hold. A tickle of amusement ratcheted through him at the omega’s attempts.

“You utter inker!” Deckard shrieked, thrashing his tail into Luke’s, forcing him to either release the omega’s wrists or take them both tumbling through the driftwood table.

Luke didn’t let go.

They created a whirlwind through the water, spinning rapidly until they crashed against the driftwood table. Luke used the momentum to his advantage and pinned the pretty little mer to the table beneath him, his body covering the omega from tail to shoulder, heavily leaning down on him to stop any escape. He tried to ignore the zing of pleasure he got from the lithe form writhing beneath him, trying to escape but Luke wasn’t made of stone. And the blue scaled mer was the prettiest little challenge Luke had ever seen.

“Shaw! Hobbs!” Nobody growled in outrage, the older mer swirled through the water until he was next to the table, tentacles crossed over his chest and frowning at them with the disappointed scowl of parents ocean-wide.

“You know the bylaws, gentlemers, no attacks are permitted during an official SST meeting. I’ve tried to give you ample opportunity to sort this out. While we may be on break, if you have issue with another representative you’ll have to wait until AFTER the Tribunal to deal with it.”

Deckard scoffed, body tense beneath Luke’s. Luke didn’t say a word. Finally the heavy weight ontop of him and the awkward position got to Deckard.

“Fine, afterwards then - - if this clownfish can keep his big gob shut!” Deckard hissed though gritted fangs, his eyes narrowed to angry slits.

Luke figured he could wait until after the board adjourned to tumble with this little omega, and if it meant he had to wait for a more private audience for his Q&A, all the better. “Fine by me.”

With that settled Deckard he went completely limp underneath Luke.

It had the instant effect of completely flummoxing the alpha, Luke's mind became a whirl of white noise.

To suddenly have this insanely prickly omega utterly submit beneath him for no reason, well it took him a few seconds reboot and then he took a few more to luxuriate in the feeling; it wasn’t until Shaw growled, chest vibrating against Luke's own as the omega started to writhe beneath Luke, who instinctively applied more pressure to keep him still, and a borderline feral hiss erupted from the omega, his muscles suddenly tensing for a fight and outraged glare aimed at Luke, that Luke realized Shaw had been trying to get out from under Luke’s body by going limp not submitting to him.

Feeling like an untried youth, Luke turned bright red and clumsily swam back and up so that the omega could get off the table and out from underneath him. For the first time since he'd arrived at the tribunal he felt warm, all the blood rushing to his cheeks and chest in embarrassment at having so wrongly read the situation. As soon as Luke had moved a few inches, Deckard shot off the table and out into the surrounding sea, leaving a turbulence of bubbles and currents behind as his tail slapped at the water like it owed him clams.

Leaving Luke behind, entirely besotted with the small mer.

He tried to downplay his interest in Shaw but he thought that that particular dolphin might have left the pod already.

“Geez, what crab got lost in his coral bed, huh?” Luke asked, smiling at Nobody to share in the joke, trying to cover his flustered embarrassment.

Nobody gave him a flat look, not fooled in the least.

Luke gulped, tail flicking nervously through the currents.

“It’s not becoming behavior for the Samoan tribes’ representative, an of age alpha, to nip at an unclaimed omega’s fins without offering his brood matriarch a courting boon, son. Your mother should have taught you that much at least, before sending you out in Society..”

Luke felt his cheeks fill with heat all over again, his fins flaring wide in embarrassment. “I uh, that’s not . . . I didn’t . . . I never meant to . . .”

He swallowed roughly, flustered at being so blatantly called out on the poor behavior and abysmal courting technique. A mer his age should have shown better decorum when they met a potential bond mate. His mama would have slapped him upside the head with her tail if she’d seen the display Luke had pulled today.

It did confirm one thing he’d been desperately curious about but unsure how to broach tactfully with any other members of the board.

“He’s uh that is . . . Shaw’s still . . . no one else has . . . he's unclaimed?”

Even as he hoped for it to be true, Luke couldn’t fathom such a jewel going uncontested by another alpha for so long, but the knowing look that Nobody shot in his direction at the question made him feel he’d been as subtle as a blue whale at a krill bloom about his interest in the smaller mer.

Nobody just shook his head, though a small smirk was tucked into the corner of his mouth so Luke figured he couldn’t be THAT pissed at him. Though Nobody still took a took a few minutes before answering, blowing out a string of bubbles noisily.

“You might have had better luck if you didn’t screw up his presentation, Hobbs.” The older mer explained at last. The octopus mer shook out his tentacles in a ‘tsk tsk’ fashion. “For starters, I’m sure it’s only that Jonah forgot to mention but it’s rather uncouth to speak without holding the Conch during the meeting- - and that’s why you’ve been constantly interrupting his entire presentation?”

Blinking rapidly, Luke suddenly recalled the pink conch that Shaw had held in his clawed hand as he spoke, if only because he’d briefly been concerned the omega might chuck it at his head before attacking him in a rage, during said presentation.

He winced, shoulders drooping and his fins paling to a seafoam green instead of his usual more robust kelp coloring.

“Jonah must have left that part out.” He admitted around a wince. Just like his older brother to mess around with him and leave Luke's tailfin out for the shark to chomp.

Nobody chuffed, a large bubble popping from his mouth. “Now why doesn’t that surprise me?”

The octopus mer reached out a tentacle and briefly latched onto Luke’s shoulder, softer than earlier. “Just try and say less and listen more when the meeting comes back together. Deckard has a solid proposal, and if he’s able to get through the presentation unmolested, his tribe will be able to secure the board’s bid uncontested. It’ll do the entire ocean some good but the kid has to be able to secure the vote first.”

Luke was shocked, he hadn’t realized his behavior could have caused legitimate problems for the omega.

Though if the Bill hadNobody’s backing Luke didn't doubt that the project would get pushed through, the octo-mer had a way of making his will done but the talk from Nobody made Luke reconsider his behavior since arriving.

  
Perhaps he should have waited until the end of the presentation before peppering the omega with questions; he might have enjoyed having the feisty merman’s attention solely on himself too much. He’d hate to have fucked things up so badly just because he’d been distracted by the Brit.

“Right, yeah, of course, Nobody,” Luke promised.

The older mer smirked, not fooled by the massive alpha’s motivations when it came to Magdalene's eldest.

“Good luck, Luke. If you’re trying to get in Deckard’s good graces you’ll need Poseidon’s blessing to stand a chance.”

-0-0-0-

Deckard zoomed through the waters around the meeting hall. His tail beat back and forth through the currents, tail fins zinging with blood and adrenaline as he tried to overcome the urge to go back to the hall and slice that stupid alpha in half. Deckard had met a lot of flash alphas in London, all too eager to prove that they were a better mer for a job than Deck but to have another SST member question his proposal for the Bill so thoroughly before he’d finished his presentation had been an insult he hadn’t prepared for.

The giant kept putting down Deckard’s Bill.

It didn’t matter what sort of answer or point the other mer asked for clarification on, within a few statements Deckard’s flow of words were halted time and time again.

At this point Deckard was almost out of time and even if he managed to finish his speech, the vote would likely have to wait until the following cycle’s meeting because the rest of the board would have to be given time to come up with any questions of their own on the proposal.  
It was a disaster and it was all that alpha’s fault.

-0-0-0-

By the time Deckard had reined in his fury enough to return for the rest of the tribunal meeting, four of the others had since reclaimed their spots around the table.

In truth, Deckard hadn’t been able to squash the desire to punch that sanctimonious alpha in the gob again, but he refused to allow his anger with the other delegate to cause Ramsey’s project to go belly up. That had been the whole reason they hadn’t sent Hattie after all, Deckard was supposed to have a cooler head besides, he could deal with that fish’s arsehole of an alpha after the tribunal meeting, like Nobody had reminded him.

Speaking of the devil, Nobody and Hobbs swam to their respective spots at the table and Nobody called the meeting back to order.

Deckard reclaimed the conch.

Time to get this done.

-0-

"Dex, congrats on swinging the vote, I knew you’d manage it.” Margarita said, wrapping the mer in a brief hug before backing up and smacking their red lips against his cheek.

Deckard allowed the affection, high off of victory and well versed in the siren’s form of friendship. “Thanks, M. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without your tribe’s support though.”

They smirked, sending their tresses swinging over their shoulder in a well-practiced nonchalant move paired with a lavish wink in his direction. “Well I can think of several ways you could pay me back for the favor, if you’re up for it, sailor.”

Deck snorted out a laugh, sending them a dazzling smile. “Never change, Margarita.”

They leered, and winked “Dex, you don’t change perfection!”

Before they could continue the harmless back and forth, Ivan joined the pair.

  
“Deckard, on behalf of my tribe, I would like to offer my congratulations on the successful completion of your proposal before the Seven Seas Tribunal, truly this is cause for a celebration, no?” Ivan asked, wrapping a tentacle briefly around his shoulders before releasing him.

“My matriarch will be very pleased to hear of it.” Deckard admitted with a small smile for the octopus. The other mer failed to hide how that pleases him and Deckard could admit that the octopus seemed rather harmless give his mother's normal beaus.

“Ahhh, the lovely Magdalene, tell her I wish her and her kingdom well. It is such a shame she was not able to continue to retain her seat on the tribunal. Give her my best, yes?”

With a nod, Deckard agreed. “Yes, of course.”

Another mer from the tribunal approached to offer congrats and Deckard was lost in the heady feeling of hard won success.

-0-0-0-

Luke watched with some brewing jealousy as the mers gathered around Deckard to congratulate him on his victory.

He desperately wanted to do the same but wasn’t sure the best way to approach the omega after his earlier behavior.

Nobody finished speaking with the sea turtle mer and swam up next to him, taking in all the small details before saying anything to Luke.

“You know, Magdalene is partial to a certain coral reef in her territory.”

“Is that so?” Luke asked, unsure where Nobody was going with this but willing to play.

Nobody gave him a solemn nod. “Yes, unfortunately it has recently undergone an attack, an overpopulation of nasty crown of thrones starfish.”

Luke blinked at the mer, still puzzled. “Yeah, they can be a real pain.” He said, distractedly. His mother had run into those in a few beds back home until she started collecting a certain breed of snail as pets.

Nobody rolled his eyes, ‘youth’. “In fact, I’m sure she’d be pretty pleased to have an escargatoire of Triton’s Trumpet to help defend her coral gardens.”

Luke jerked his eyes away from Deckard and stared at the octo-mer, the point of the older mer’s comments finally linking up in his mind.

Luke straightened up, realizing where Nobody had been leading him.

“So she’d probably be happy enough to give me an audience with her son if I were able to provide them with a bunch of these snails as a courting boon?”

“That’s the ticket. I knew you’d get there sooner or later, mind you it was a little later than I’d originally hoped but you got there in the end, and that’s all that matters.”

-0-0-0-

“Mama, I need to bargain with the Celtic tribe, and to do that I’m gonna need these snails!”

Sefina glared. “You tryin’ to take away my pets, Lukey?”

“No, ma’am!” Luke denied, despite the several snails he’d already caged and clutched in his hands. “I uh I just need a few to give to a… a friend.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and stared him down. He lasted an unprecedented twenty seconds before he broke down and spilled like an overeager squid.

“There was this omega at the tribunal…”

Sefina brightened instantly, cheering as she rushed her son, gathering him in a hug.

“Oh, that’s wonderful, son! Why didn’t you just say so? Do you think that fourteen will be enough or do we need to have your cousins find more? I thought this day would never come!”

“Ma, I appreciate it but I think it’ll be more than enough. I’m just trying to put together a courting boon for his tribe’s Matriarch so she’ll give me an audience, not take over their territory.”

“Well you can never be too generous when it comes to a courting boon, oh Luke I can’t wait to be a grandmother!”

“Ma!”

-0-0-0-

“You’ve finally lost it, mother.”

“No, Decks, don’t take that tone with your mum. You may be of age, but I can still bend you over my tail and give you a good swat!”

Hattie was rolling like a ship tossed about by the sea, clutching her stomach in laughter. “I can’t believe the arsehole that you bitched about when you came back from the meeting is trying to woo your stubborn ass.”

Owen scowled athis twin. “That giant means to abduct our older brother and all you can do is laugh?”

Hattie snorted. “I don’t think any alpha, even one as huge as that one, would be an even match for our brother.”

Owen seemed to consider this argument before conceding to her. “This is true.” He turned toward their mum. “Well mother, you might as well get some snails out of it, if nothing else. Those coral beds have been ragged for cycles!”

Deckard screeched. “Oi! I’m not some prize you can swap for a handful of snails!”

Hattie reached out and patted him on his head, ignoring how the short bristles tickled her palm. “There, there, Decks. I’m sure once mum’s agreed to his courtship we’ll get something more worthwhile for your bride price.”

Deckard scowled at her and swatted her hand away. “What are you even doing in here, Hats? Why don’t you go find a wig to try on or a makeover for yourself? I’m sure you’ll be on the chopping block soon enough. Mother might need a new lotion for her scales, and we can allow Andreiko to secure your hand.”

She pelted him in the shoulder but smirked. “If he’s half as inventive in the sack as he is with his inventions it wouldn’t be a total wash.”

Owen and Deckard both grimaced and Hattie shot them a smug look.

“Children, children, settle down. Mummy’s had a long enough time to think this through, and I’ve decided to allow this Samoan alpha the opportunity to court your brother, but Deckard don’t let him get fresh with you darling. No one will buy the manatee if it gives the milk away for free!”

All three of her children winced.

“Mum!” they chorused.

-0-0-0-

  
End Part One

**Author's Note:**

> So this was meant to just be a cute couple of scenes of the boys fighting in a council meeting and then their mum's respective reactions to their sons courting/being courted. 
> 
> ... it sorta grew?
> 
> Now there's gonna be a part two with these two goofs flirting/courting mermaid style. This outta be interesting.


End file.
